I have to put a disclaimer up before I continue.
This is a birth story. That in itself makes it somewhat graphic.
This is a home birth story which makes it even more graphic.
This is also the story of two wonderful, loving, beautiful mommies.

If any of the above may bother you, it would be best for you to refrain from looking at their birth story.

Thank you for your understanding!

XOXO

Meet Jude Ryan.
His story is beautiful- but I’ll let the photos speak for themselves as much as possible.

Unfortunately, the pool as great as it was (it was supposed to be a water birth) just didn’t work out.(I loved this…they REALLY love their doggy 🙂

Transitioning- the support and love during this whole time was amazing.

11:16PM

Pure JoyWeighing, Measuring, Heart Tones….He was absolutely perfect even though he was just a tad early.

they had a cake! (love it)Just shortly after delivery- so beautiful and alert.

I was so bummed I didn’t get to go to his baby shower this weekend
and so in honor of his one month birthday and missing his baby shower….

Welcome to the world little man.
You are SO loved.

Congrats Lewis Family, thank you so much for inviting me into your home and your lives.

End of the night pic- after 12+ years knowing these two I’m so glad I finally have a picture with them <3

The end.

Actually, it’s not. There are SO many photos I wanted to post but I didn’t want to get wordy and pic heavy.
This was such a wonderful day.
I love this girl to pieces and I’m totally sold on her husband- the way he loves her is unmatched.

I went digging in my hard drive archives because I was feeling nostalgic.
I couldn’t find the OLDEST photos I have of this little one but I did find a couple of my favorites.
I feel so lucky to watch these little ones grow and it was my fifth year photographing little Lucas Lyric.

It was so cool to go back and look at some of his baby photos.
Being so close to my own son’s age, I feel a special bond with this little one when I see him on his birthday every year.

He looks so much the same, yet, so grown up.
And just like my little guy, he never lost his striking bright blue eyes.

We started at the skate park.
Something in me could have guessed years ago he would be a little skater.

One thing I adored and admired when I first met Lucas & his mommy was their amazing bond.
They are thick as thieves and I ALWAYS get some of the most heartwarming mommy & son shots from these two.

They decided to have a paint fight this year 🙂

But of course we got the perfect mommy & son shot at the end.

Thank you Caitlin and Lucas for coming back to me year after year.
I always have so much fun with you two.

I have been a part of OpLove now for four years.
I never really knew how much more providing this service would mean to me until I fell in love
early last year with an OEF/OIF veteran.

Photo Courtesy Kaela Green Photography

I will never truly understand this life or the sacrifices our soldiers and their families make,
but I now have a deeper understanding of what they endure for our country.

Being a volunteer for OpLove, I have been very fortunate that at this time (as far as I know)
all of the soldiers I have photographed have safely returned.

But each of these families watch their men & women leave
never really knowing if they will return.
And for that, they deserve to be honored today- even if they are not among the fallen <3

(this AF couple is on my list of heroes- serving two tours a piece, apart from each other and their children. they continue to inspire me)

I know that there are hundreds more of you that have been in front of my camera
and although I don’t have the time today to post photos of all of you…
I hope that you all know how much I honor and respect
the sacrifices your soldiers make risking their lives every day
your friends and family who have fallen
and the hardship you all endure while they are away serving our country.